REVISION: State Senate Dems hope for change of heart by Jones

Friday

Aug 31, 2007 at 12:01 AMAug 31, 2007 at 10:56 PM

Fixed 6th graph

Now that they’ve had a chance to see just what Gov. Rod Blagojevich cut from the state budget, some Senate Democrats are saying they’re looking for a change in position from Senate President Emil Jones.

WITH BREAKOUT: BUDGET AT A GLANCE

Doug Finke

Now that they’ve had a chance to see just what Gov. Rod Blagojevich cut from the state budget, some Senate Democrats are saying they’re looking for a change in position from Senate President Emil Jones.

Although they are being careful not to directly challenge their leader’s position, some Democrats made it clear last week that they hope Jones, D-Chicago, can be persuaded to change his mind about overturning some of the cuts.

“I have talked to a number of the downstate Democratic members,” said Sen. John Sullivan, D-Rushville. ”They are hearing from people negatively impacted by the vetoes. We are all talking about how and what we can do to address those concerns.”

“There were undoubtedly some reductions that I found regrettable,” said Sen. Jeff Schoenberg, D-Evanston, citing cuts to education, health care and a legal services program for the poor. ”I would hope that the decision not to override would be reconsidered in selected cases.”

Lawmakers finally approved a new $59 billion budget for the state on Aug. 10, six weeks into the state’s new budget year and more than two months after they were supposed to finish their work. Four days later, Blagojevich announced he would cut $500 million from the budget sent to him. He described the reductions – which the state constitution gives him authority to make – as $200 million in pork projects and an additional $300 million in “special interest spending.”

Jones, appearing with Blagojevich at the governor’s announcement, said he would not allow the Senate to vote on restoring any of the money cut by the governor. Since both the House and Senate must vote to override the governor in order to restore the budget cuts, Jones’ decision meant Blagojevich’s reductions would stand.

At the time of the announcement, though, Blagojevich hadn’t spelled out what spending he planned to eliminate. That took nearly two more weeks, and when the cuts were revealed, many lawmakers were surprised and angered.

Blagojevich wiped out money for projects in districts represented by Republicans in the Senate and Democrats in the House. At the same time, he spared money for projects in Senate Democratic and House Republican districts.

In some cases, that meant money for a project in one district was cut while money for an identical project in another district was kept in the budget.

Beyond that, though, Blagojevich eliminated more than $230 million for health care and human services. That included money to reimburse hospitals and nursing homes for providing care to the poor, to give home care workers for the developmentally disabled a pay raise, and for dozens of other programs ranging from homeless shelters to adult day care centers to AIDS assistance to job training.

“Some cuts have impacted my district in a negative way,” Sullivan said, citing the cuts to home care workers, mental health programs and cooperative extension services. ”They are definitely things I’ve heard from my constituents about. My hope is we can go back and correct it.”

“There are things in there that I think should be brought back in, no doubt about it,” said Sen. Terry Link, D-Waukegan.

Link pointed to funding reductions will hurt local parks and museums, as well as public television and radio stations.

At the same time, however, Link said he doesn’t expect to pressure Jones to change his mind. Link said Jones might be using the cuts as leverage to get agreement on a mass transit assistance package and a long-stalled construction bond program.

“I am not in disagreement with what the president is trying to do,” Link said.

Sen. Deanna Demuzio, D-Carlinville, said she was surprised to see budget reductions for providers that serve the developmentally disabled, corrections and other state agencies.

“I hated to see some of the cuts in there,” Demuzio said.

But Demuzio, like Sullivan and others, said they want to see what the House restores to the budget before deciding what restorations to push in the Senate. Because the budget was contained in a House bill, it will be the House that initiates any effort to override Blagojevich’s cuts.

House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, has said the House will vote to override the vetoes, but he has not scheduled a time for the chamber to act. In fact, it could be a while before the House as a whole considers the cuts.

“The outcry across the state has been unprecedented,” said Madigan spokesman Steve Brown. ”The question is what is the best forum for people devastated by the cuts to express their point of view.”

Brown said Madigan might schedule a committee of the whole hearing by the entire House to hear from people affected by the cuts. The House also could hold a series of hearings around the state, he said.

Brown also said no decision has been made whether to take a single vote on restoring all of the cuts as a group, or to vote on individual items.

Schoenberg said that if the Senate doesn’t agree to restore some of the cuts, lawmakers can try to pass a supplemental budget bill that would have the same effect.

“I’m hoping some of the saber-rattling will subside and there can be some reconciliation of these conflicting views,” he said.

Link said a lot can still change if lawmakers can reach agreement on other issues, like mass transit assistance and a capital bill.

“Nobody is getting heartbroken because they don’t feel this is the final, final cut,” Link said.

Dana Heupel contributed to this report. GateHouse News Service Statehouse reporter Doug Finke can be reached at (217) 788-1527 or doug.finke@sj-r.com.

STATE BUDGET AT A GLANCE

What’s In

Total Budget: $59 billion in state and federal funds, compared with $57 billion last year

Increase in state spending: About $1.7 billion, or 5.9 percent

Education-spending increase: $597 million, or 9 percent

Per-student school funding increase: $400, for a total of $308 million

New state jobs: 1,120, at a cost of about $25 million

Raises: $7.2 million for pay increases for constitutional officers, legislators and other state officials.